“Those are amazing, Charlie Grace.” Reva flipped the image to the next. “I hope you stayed at a safe distance.”
Lila impatiently held out her hand. “Let me see.”
Reva passed the phone over. Lila buried her attention in the photographs, flipping them until she reached one that particularly drew her interest. “Oh, Charlie Grace. This one of you…well, it’s stunning.”
Capri leaned over for a look. “Wow! That’s a Jack and Rose moment. I mean, the most romantic scene of the entireTitanicmovie was when Jack painted her naked.”
Charlie Grace huffed in protest. “I was hardly naked.”
Capri grinned. “Oh, but clothes—or lack of—isn’t the issue. Nick captured your essence. He saw what few others see.”
Charlie Grace picked up her phone and studied the picture. “And that would be?”
“Well, in my opinion, that photograph captures an elusive interplay of emotions, vulnerability, and strength…all at the same time. The image goes beyond the confines of the frame.” Capri pointed to the camera in Charlie Grace’s hand. “See the glimmer in your eyes, the hint of a smile gracing your lips, and the gentle curve of your posture? Nick putyouon film.”
“Ooh, he did!”Lila agreed. She waved as Pastor Pete approached the table.
Pete wiped his hands on a towel and passed out clean bar napkins that were imprinted with the wordsSip slowly, savor life’s blessings.
“Hey, girls! Nice to see you tonight. You ready for a second round?”
Reva pushed her credit card his way. “Yes, and this one’s on me.”
Pete nodded and picked up the card. “Coming right up.”
Charlie Grace held up her hand. “Make mine a soda this time.”
Pete grinned. “Sure thing.”
As soon as he moved from the table, Lila leaned in. “So, spill. Tell us everything. Did he kiss you?”
Reva nodded in the direction of the door where Nicola Cavendish was entering the bar. “Shh…keep your voices down. Let’s not invite trouble,” she warned.
Lila repeated herself in a whisper. “Well? Did he?”
A small smile danced on her lips. “Maybe.”
29
Charlie Grace rested her elbow on the open window of her pickup on her way home from the Rustic Pine. The cool night air carried the faint grape-like scent of lupine. Above, stars crowded the dark sky.
Time spent with Reva, Lila, and Capri always did her heart good. Their bond extended beyond just being friends. They were an integral part of each other’s lives, always providing perspective and encouragement. None of her girlfriends were shy in pointing out ways she’d gone off course. Especially when it came to her love life.
She supposed she had them to thank, at least in part, for her new relationship with Nick. Without their prodding, she may never have found the courage to move on from Jason and open herself to this new possibility.
Of course, there remained obstacles. When it came to her happiness, there were always roadblocks, it seemed. It wasn’t easy to juggle the needs of everyone she loved with her own. Her friends were right, too often she put herself last.
It felt good to focus on Nick and their relationship even if their time together would be short-lived. Eventually, he would return to Los Angeles. She’d accepted that. But she vowed to enjoy every moment while he was here.
Charlie Grace nervously twirled a strand of hair between her fingers as the night air drifted through the open car window.
She couldn’t help but feel a magnetic pull towards Nick. There was something about the way he looked at her, as if he could see straight through the walls she had carefully built around her heart. It was both thrilling and terrifying, the vulnerability he effortlessly coaxed out of her. She had grown independent and guarded, but with Nick, she could finally let go and be herself without fear of judgment.
She stared at the road before her, smiling at the very thought of him, the way he looked at her—the way he made herfeel.
A tingle formed in her stomach at the memory of when he’d kissed her.
Armed with their cameras, she and Nick had ventured into Yellowstone, driving over an hour in hopes of catching a glimpse of a grizzly.
